New corona cases reach 2-month high with tally crosses 0.6mn

ISLAMABAD: The daily number of new coronavirus cases in the country during the last twenty-four hours rose to the highest level in two months, according to the data provided by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Friday.
Pakistan reported 2,701 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily tally after January 13 when the number of new coronavirus cases remained 3,097. The total number of infections rose to 600,198 with these fresh cases.
According to the NCOC, 54 more people died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 13,430. The total count of active cases has reached 18,703 and the positivity rate increases up to 6.56 percent. A total of 41,133 tests were conducted across the country during the last 24 hours, while 9,402,639 samples have been tested so far.
In the past 24 hours, as many as 1,573 patients recovered from the virus, while so far 568,065 people have recovered from the deadly disease . Some 1,709 patients were stated to be in critical condition.
At least 1,632 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 182,576.
According to the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, at least 36 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total reached 5,698. The department added that at least 168,186 patients have recovered from the deadly virus as of yet.
As many as 7,582 elderly citizens have been administered the first shot of Covid-19 vaccine since the second phase of a countrywide coronavirus vaccination kicked off earlier this week. The department said that 7,582 people aged above 60 years have been vaccinated against the coronavirus in the province. A total of 207,464 elderly citizens got themselves registered for vaccination, he added. Of the total, 1,298 people got the first shot at Lahore Expo Centre the day the second phase started.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has convened a meeting of the cabinet committee on combating the coronavirus threat to review the pandemic situation in the wake of the National Command and Operation Centre’s (NCOC) decision to re-impose restrictions due to a surge in infections. Sources said that the government is mulling over shutting down marriage halls among other measures to halt the virus spread. – TLTP